Wrapping-machine.



PATENTED JULY 9.1907.

M. H. BALLARD. WRAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAB.29,'1907.

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PATENTED JULY 9, 1907.

M. H. BALLARD. WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON H. BALLARD, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIPP FRUITWRAPPING MACHINE 00., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OFMAINE.

WRAPPING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed March 29, 1907- Serial No- 365,259.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON H. BALLARD, of Lynn, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Wrapping-Machines, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and is intended as animprovement upon the wrapping machine shown in U. S. Patent 812,912,dated Feb. 20, 1906.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide an ejector forthe orange or other article, which is constructed, arranged and adaptedto operate to eject the orange, and, while in its abnormal position, to

permit the return of the rest, on whichthe orange was supported, to itsnormal elevated position.

In said patent the ejector must return to its normal position before therest can resume its normal position and hence considerable time is lost.

Another object of my invention is to improve the construction of themeans employed for locking the rest in its lowermost position and forsubsequently releasing it.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for retarding theupward movement of the rest, at the end of its up-stroke, to avoid thejar and vibration due to its suddenly stopping at the end of itslip-stroke.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a wrapping machine embodying my presentimprovements. Fig.2 is a detail showing the ejector in plan view. Fig.3, I, 5 and 6 are details to be referred to of the locking-device forthe rest and means for operating it to lock the rest and means foroperating it to release the rest.

t represents the upright rest-supporting rod and c the plunger-rod. Theejector is designed to remove the wrapped orange from the rest t on saidrod t.

The ejector consists of an arm 25 pivoted to a stationary support andhaving a bifuracted end, comprising a pair of widely separated fingers tt formed at their extremities with vertical portions 25 The arm t ismovable on its pivot in a horizontal plane above the rest 15 when thelatter is in its lowermost position, see dotted lines Fig. 1, and isarranged to cause its fingers to engage the wrapped orange on said restand remove it therefrom. The fingers are separated sufficiently toprovide a space between them for the passage of the rest i so that whilethe arm F occupies its abnormal position, as for instance, the positionit will occupy when removing the orange, see dotted lines Fig. 2, therest i may pass up between said fingers and resume its normal position,and the arm tmay subsequently be restored to its normal position,thereby permitting rapid operation of the rest,

regardless of the position of the ejector, a result which I have notheretofore been able to accomplish. The space between the laterallyextended fingers forms a recess of sufficient size to provide for theunobstructed passage of the rest.

The pivoted arm t has an arm t to which is connected a bar it, supportedby suitable bearings and movable longitudinally for the purpose ofoperating the ejector. The end of the bar with or without a rollthereon, engages a cam secured to the shaft f and said bar is held inengagement with said cam by a spring 13 As the cam revolves the ejectoris moved in one direction against the action of its return spring 15 andis thereafter returned by said spring. The rest is depressed by theplunger, the extent of its downward movement varying according to thesize of the orange, and it is adapted to be locked at the lower end ofits downward stroke and to be subsequently released. In carrying outthis result improved means are herein shown, which, in practice, hasmany advantages over the means shown in the aforesaid patent.

The rod t is formed or provided with a series of ratchet teeth t adaptedto be engaged by a pawl t secured to one end of a rock-shaft t which issupported by suitable bearings. The shaft t has secured to its oppositeend a detent t which is engaged by a detent lever E pivoted to theframe, which is constructed and arranged to hold said detent t in eitherof two different positions, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. When in theposition shown in Fig. 5, the pawl t is positively held disengaged fromthe ratchet toothed rod t; and when in the position shown in Fig. 4, thepawl t is held in position to engage the ratchet toothed rod. A spring tis provided on the shaft 25 which is connected with said shaft and isemployed to turn said shaft in a direction to move the pawl 15 intoengagement with the ratchet toothed rod, when permitted to act. Theshaft i is turned in the opposite direction, to disengage said pawl tfrom the ratchet toothed rod and to move the detent 15 into lockingengagement with the detentlever 22 by means provided for the purpose.

As herein shown an arm t, extends from the shaft E, which is connectedwith the lower end of a rod t, the upper end of which is connected toone end of a lever i pivoted at t, the opposite end of which, with orwithout a friction roll, engages a cam t secured to the shaft f. Therevolution of the cam operates to lift the rod t to thereby rock theshaft and move the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth and tomove the detent t into locking engagement with the detent lever t. Aspring i is connected with the pivoted lever for controlling itsoperation. A collar 0 is secured to the plunger-rod c which is sodisposed thereon that when the plunger-rod descends it will strike theprojecting end of the detent-lever t and operate it to disengage thedetent 29, thereby permitting the pawl to engage the ratchet teeth. Asthe rod 13 is depressed by the descending plunger the collar c willengage the detent-lever and operate it to cause the pawl to engage theratchet teeth and lock the rod 25 in its depressed position. Theplunger-rod then ascends and the cam soon arrives in position to operatethe lever t to lift the rod t to thereby move the pawl out of engagementwith the ratchet teeth and release the rest. The rest t is then raisedby a spring 25 and when released will be raised quickly by said spring,and to obviate checking its upward movement by a fixed stop and therebyproducing a jar and causing it and its actuating spring to vibrate, Ihave herein provided the rod with a piston 15, which enters a hollowcylinder t just before the rod arrives at the upper end of its strokeand by compressing the air in said cylinder eases the final movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a n1ov able rest and aplunger, of an ejector for removing the wrapped orange from the rest,having a recess which provides for the unobstructed passage of the rest,substantially as describedv 2. In a wrapping machine, the combinationwith a mov able rest and plunger, of an ejector provided with a pair ofwidely separated laterally extended fingers, which provide a spacebetween them for the passage of therest, substantially as described.

3. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a plunger, means for movingit, a rest for the article supported by a rod having ratchet teeth, aspring'for lifting said rest, a pawl engaging the ratchet teeth, a rockshaft bearing it, a detent borne by said shaft, a detent-lever, arevolving cam and means operated by it for rocking said shaft todisengage the pawl from the ratchet-teeth and to move the detent intoengagement with the detent-lever, and means operated by the descendingplunger 1'01 operat ing said detentdever to release said detent andpermit the pawl to engage the ratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

4. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a plunger, means foroperating it, a rest for the article supported by a rod having ratchetteeth, a spring for lifting said rest, a pawl engaging the ratchetteeth, a rock shaft bearing it, a detent borne by said shaft, a pivotedspring con trolled detent-lever, a cam on a power-driven shaft forrocking said shaft to disengage the pawl from the ratchet teeth, and tomove the detent into engagement with the detent-lever, and meansoperated by the descendingplunger for operating said detent-lever torelease said detent, substantially as described.

5. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a plunger, means for movingit, a rest for the article supported by a rod having ratchet teeth, aspring for lifting said rest, a pawl engaging the ratchet teeth, arockshaft bearing it, a detent borne by said shaft, :1 detent-1ever, arevolving cam and means operated by it for rocking said shaft todisengage the pawl from the ratchet teeth and to move the detent intoengagement with the detent-lever, and means operated by the descendingplunger for operating said detent-lever to release said detent andpermit the pawl to engage the ratchet teeth, substantially as described.

(3. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a vertically movableplunger, means for operating it, a rest adapted to be moved downward bysaid plunger, a locking-(la vice for said rest, adapted to lock it inits lowermost position, a cam connected with and revolved by the plungeroperating means, and means operated by said cam for operating saidlocking-device, substantially as described.

7. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a vertically movableplunger, means for operating it, a rest adapted to be moved downward bysaid plunger, a locking-device for said rest, means operated by thedescending plunger for operating said locking-device to lock said restin its lowermost position, a cam connected with and revolved by theplunger operating means, and means operated by said cam for operatingsaid locking-device to release said rest, substantially as described.

S. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a vertically movableplunger, means for operating it, a rest adapted to be moved downward bysaid plunger, a lockingdevice for locking said rest in its lowermostposition, a pivoted actuating lever connected with said locking-device,and means for operating said actuating-lever connected with and operatedby the plunger operating means, substantially as described.

9. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a vertically movableplunger, means for operating it, a rest adapted to be moved downward bysaid plunger, a locking-dc vice for said rest, means, operated by thedescending plunger, for operating said lockingdevice to lock the rest, apivoted actuating-lever connected with said locking-device, and meansfor operating said actuating-lever connected with and operated by theplunger operating means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MILTON II. BALLARD.

Witnesses A. D. NICIIOL. M. S. Ronnn'rsoN.

